An account of the wildlife I come across and hopefully pictures to bring the account closer

Wednesday, 27 June 2012

Wednesday 27th. June 2012

The bird survey at Down House this morning produced one of the best results since I started doing some 12 years ago . Perhaps not in quality , but the average species count of mid to high teens , was raised to 25 today . Nothing out of the ordinary , but Yellowhammer , Garden Warbler and Swallow were all good to record . Whilst going round , I recorded butterflies as usual , but , apart from Meadow Browns , which were abundant , Small Tortoiseshell (1) , Small Heath (4) , Ringlet (3) and Large Skipper (2) were the only species to make the notebook . I did have a couple of long distance sightings that were probably Dark Green Fritillary , but didn't see them well enough for a positive ID . Whilst in the Sandwalk Woodland , I checked for the Violet Helleborines , finding just a single specimen , it's leaves suffused with violet ,

rather than the normal grey/green . Now the hope is that the Deer don't find it . From there , I headed for High Elms to check up on the Yellow Birdsnest . After finding 20 odd specimens , I told a fellow enthusiast , who proceeded to find 60 odd when he visited . This morning I counted 146 specimens and felt quite pleased with that number , only to be out-trumped by the Ranger of the site , who

informed me by email that they had counted 300+ specimens last evening . This is just one small patch of this 'rare' plant . I can only think that the conditions this year were just perfect , but it doesn't explain why they seem to be just in one small area of the woods . Before leaving , I checked on the places where I would expect to find White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary , but found nothing .

After a banana and an energy bar in the car , I headed to the set aside farm , further along the valley , to do the butterfly transect , still in humid , bright conditions , ideal for butterflies . Nine species were recorded , but once again , apart from Meadow Brown the other 8 species were all small in number .

the best of which were the only Marbled White seen , a very fresh looking male , and one of four

Large Skippers recorded , with not a sign of a single Small Skipper , and a pair of Brimstones , spiralling every higher in courtship , whilst being blown over the top of the slope by the freshening breeze . Given that the meadow was full of nectar holding plants , the results , like elsewhere , were very disappointing . Again on this visit , I saw a female Roe Deer , but right across the other side of the meadow , and she didn't hang around to wait for me to get over there . A couple of interesting plants found on the way round , Field Madder /

Sherardia arvensis , a member of the Bedstraw family , and a plant that I usually see less than 50 cms.

high , was found almost 2 mtrs high , Viper's Bugloss / Echium vulgare , a member of the Borage

family . The Viper part of the name I believe comes from the flower heads when young , looking like a snake's tongue . And finally , a moth found on a field gate at Down House . I think it might be Light